


Dick and Ric's (Not So) Excellent Adventure

by madameweb



Category: Batman (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Rewrite, Canon-Typical Behavior, Canon-Typical Violence, Gen, More characters to be added, Multi, Other, Tags to be added, i hate ric but here we are, or i do my best to express that
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-11
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-04-22 19:55:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22206733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madameweb/pseuds/madameweb
Summary: "Can I get your name?”Dick didn’t really want to know, he was trying to keep the situation calm. Still, his foot rested on the window seal, ready for the dramatic exit.“Ric. Ric Grayson.” The man simply said.OR I try another take on Ric's story and hopefully making it better and not as long, with more compassion than the current writer. (i said what i said)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 29





	1. Widely Regarded As A Bad Move

**Author's Note:**

> this kind of started with me joking to myself about how dick (from the 80s-2010s run, before 52) would probably kick ric's (rebirth's disaster) ass. then i started this and now i've written too much to not post it. 
> 
> sorry the first chapter is so dialogue heavy

The room is dark. It has a strange smell to it, it’s old, a little dingy, and small. He’s lucky he’s still in the shadows so he can survey the room and get a fair scope of it. There’s someone there, baggy clothes– doesn’t seem threatening. He seems to be drinking, it could give Nightwing the upper hand if an altercation were to arise. Nightwing blinks, was the guy staring him down just now? No, no, it must be whatever teleportation device Freeze had taking full effect on him. Nightwing takes another survey, finds he’s close to the window- and it’s jammed.

  
_“Son of a–”_

  
Dick Grayson has put up with a lot of things in his life; moody teenagers, taking down meta-humans, dealing with a speedster every other Tuesday, being Batman, apparently jammed windows… wait, he put teens too high on that list. He had no idea who’s apartment he was in, nor did he have any clue who this buzz cut was. Drinking the night away, an awful fresh scar on the side of his head. The man hadn’t seem to notice Nightwing’s presence, it seemed, so Dick opted to jump out the window and figure out what the hell was going on.

  
And it, _of course_, was jammed.

  
“Careful going out there,” the man finally spoke. “Some real assholes out there.”

  
Dick stopped in his tracks and - while nearly falling out of the window he finally got open - he noticed: it was Bludhaven. Just not His Bludhaven. The buildings looked a too new, too updated and nicer than what his. This one still feels like people care about trying to salvage it.

  
Keyword: _trying_.

  
“What do you mean?” Nightwing asked carefully. “What’s this place called?”

  
The man gave a disinterested chuckle. “Bludhaven. Moved here on a whim, taking someone else’s advice. I think… It gets a little fuzzy. This place sucks.”

  
Dick nearly choked, why did this sound like what Clark told him? “Don’t worry about it, no need for the life story. Can I get your name?”

Dick didn’t really want to know, he was trying to keep the situation calm. Still, his foot rested on the window seal, ready for the dramatic exit.

  
“Ric. Ric Grayson.” The man simply said.

  
This time Dick actually fell out of the window. Luckily, he was caught - a hand gripping his arm - by this “Ric Grayson” before he hit the ground floor.

  
“You gotta be careful.” Ric commented, one hand gripping the window frame as he hung out of it, like a sailor holding onto the ropes. “What are you trying to do?”

  
“I… I don’t know.” Dick finally said as he got his bearings, pulling himself back through the window. He bit his cheek, here’s to hoping. “You wouldn’t happen to have been called "Dick” would you?“

  
"You ask a lot of questions.” Ric scoffed, hesitant for a moment. “Yeah, it’s just not who I am. Right now.”

  
“I can’t believe I owe Wally twenty dollars.” Dick rubbed his hands down his face. “Note to self: remember speedsters can travel through universes. Okay - uh - Ric, are you Nightwing?”

  
“Not right now.”

  
“Do you still have-”

  
“Yeah.”

  
“Can I-”

  
Ric folded his arms. “Follow me.”

  
Dick followed the guy to a small room, allegedly a bedroom, he crouched down. The detective stared at this guy, they were the same person. This dimensions version of him. This guy seemed a little younger than him, so who the hell is Ric and what was wrong with him? Dick Grayson always thought of himself as someone who’d be out on those streets, even when he was Robin. Hell, he’d be there sans Robin. That’s just who he is. He wouldn’t just sit here. Would he?

Dick would rather fight the league of assassin’s again than wrap his head around this one, he’d rather go toe to toe with Ra’s again. Damn it, Wally! Warn a guy, don’t bet against him! Especially when the guy thinks he had a fighting chance!

  
Ric tossed the items onto the old mattress. “I held on to this.” He sighed. “I can’t just let them go… for some reason.”

  
Dick nodded, examining the contents. Everything was there, from an old looking suit to the thing he needed. An ear piece for the comm system. If he knew anything about his little brother, one Timothy Drake, then Dick figured this universe would be no different as he placed the small earpiece in his ear. He pressed the homing button, hoping that he was right and Tim was just as good as he always is.

  
“Come on, Tim.” Nightwing grumbled. “Pull through.”

  
Ric rose an eyebrow, giving a little scoff.

  
Static. Dick’s stomach fell.

  
“Who the hell is this?!” A voice rang through, young and not as deterred as one Red Robin.

  
“Tim?” Dick called out, partly excited. “I need your help.”

  
“Wait, Dick?” The boy sounded hopeful. Dick got concerned.

  
“Sorry, Baby Bird.” Dick felt a small pang, he never realized how much he missed calling his brothers the nicknames he thought up. “I’m not from this universe.”

  
“Right.” He could feel the sigh of disappointment from Tim. “Another day, another alternate dimension.” He spoke monotone, maybe he wasn’t that far from his counterpart.

  
“I need your help, or at least your computer skills to get back home. If there anyone at the cave now?”

  
After all, he wanted to keep this as low brow as possible. The last thing he needed was another Bruce Wayne on his tial, annoying him. Would the man help? Probably. Does everyone seem to forget that Dick was also Batman once? Obviously!

  
Alright, so maybe he should see someone about his irrational anger spouts. He’s over it, but god. That man was stubborn.

  
There was a pause. “I can try to get into contact with some magic users… maybe Zantanna? Last time, this other Superman was here and Bruce was-”

  
“Stingy on details. Perfect.”

  
Tim chuckled. “If you can make it back to the cave – it’s, uh, in the same spot? If you’re from the same plain as Superman. Does that help?”

  
“I’ll do what I can. Nightwing out.”

  
Ric regarded this man, then the suitcase. He held his head, feeling a sudden headache coming on. First Barbara and now this? This is too much. He didn’t realize he commented it until Nightwing gave a laugh from the window, he doubted “Ric” had any transportation to spare. “Barbara, and now this?”

  
“Did you just call Babs by her full name?”

  
“Yeah? It is her name.”

  
Dick hums thoughtfully. “It's just not… what I call her.”

  
“I-I know.” Ric admits. “Anyway, ‘Nightwing’ go off and play hero.”

  
“Oh get over yourself,” Dick ready to make his drop, paused, and looked back. “Dick.” He insulted and began his fall starting his trek to this manor proper.

  
“I’m not Dick- oh.” The buzzcut grumbled, leaning against the wall with some unnecessary force.

  
This was his life. His. Why is something telling him to follow this counterpart? He couldn’t… he shouldn’t. It’s so uncomfortable there.

  
Ric sighed.

  
He grabbed his bike’s keys.


	2. Must Be Thursday...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You can’t swim to Gotham in this weather.” The man said. “You’d be nuts to do that.”  
Dick crossed his arms, assessing the man in front of him. “Wouldn’t be the first time I swam there.”  
“Are you sure you’re good?” Ric asked, dripping with sarcasm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> to make up for the 1st dialogue chapter you get... more dialogue and a few chunks of description.  
weLP! 
> 
> I addded more headcanon elements to this bc i want to have fun with this and chill. maybe even vibe

Dick dropped down to the pier, looking over the water that connected Bludhaven to Gotham City. He was readying himself to take the deep dive when the sound a cycle stopped him in his trek. Ric skidded to a halt in front of the hero, he hopped off the cycle with a stance at the ready. Maybe some things truly don’t leave you, once ingrained.

  
“You can’t swim to Gotham in this freezing weather.” The man said. “You’d be nuts to do that.”

  
Dick crossed his arms, assessing the man in front of him. “Wouldn’t be the first time I swam there.”

  
“Are you sure you’re good?” Ric asked, dripping with sarcasm.

  
“When your dad calls himself Batman and fights crime until 5 in the morning, you stop wondering about it after a while.” He scoffed a little. “Why are you here, Ric?”

  
Ric pressed his lips into a straight line. “I have my bike. We could use it-”

  
Dick hummed. “No, I don’t think we can.” He held out his hand. “Give me the keys and I’ll be out of your barely there hair, Buzzcut.”

  
The former grips the keys. “I can’t just let you take my bike.”

  
“Really?” Dick shifted himself into position, maybe a little disgruntled about being told no. “Tell me something, what do you remember about being Nightwing? What about Robin?”

  
“Nothing. Nothing much.” 

  
Dick swooped in - using Ric’s head as a pivot point - and took the keys out of the cycle, his counterpart trying to follow his movements nearly fell off of it. Now, stumbling on the pavement, Ric only regained his footing after Dick was comfortably sat on the cycle. Ric stumbled, as if he hadn’t had an ounce of muscle memory to protect him. For a brief moment, Dick felt sorry for the man. The scar still seemed fresh, and for some reason Dick really hated that he got it. Still, the acrobat spun the key ring around his finger and placed it in the ignition. As he heard the engine quitely purr to life, he gave a small smile. If Ric's offering, it'll do just fine. He got ready to kick the stand up and take off when he felt the hand on his shoulder, Dick immediately threw Ric over his shoulder. However, the man achieved a flip and landed with a certain grace he can vaguely recall his mother having. 

  
"Someone once told me my fighting is like free form Jazz." Ric stated, a completely different tone than before. "I do remember bits and pieces; Babs, my friends... my family." He stood prouder now, a smirk on his face and the keys to the cycle gripped in his hand. "I just don't have the full picture, it's like I'm watching my life in clips and suddenly I'm suppose to be you? To be this guy called Nightwing? It's too much to take in when all I can barely remember is my childhood."

  
Dick chuckled. "You called her Babs."

  
Ric rolled his eyes. "You're annoying."

  
"So I've been told."

  
"Well? Do you want to take a swim or do you want to go to the cave?" Ric dangled the keys in the others face again.

  
Dick grumbled and scooted to the back of the cycle. "Just get on this damn thing and go."

  
The cycle stopped in front of Wayne Manor. As Nightwing got off and began his trek to the front door, Ric hesitated. He pretended that he couldn't really remember the way to Wayne Manor to try and get over the feeling of the unknown that he can just feel deep inside that he knows it. He remembers it. He cleared his throat and got off the bike as Nightwing alerted the doorbell and Alfred emerged. 

  
"Master Richard?" The elder looked surprised. "How are you here-" He looked over Dick's head to see Ric, looking rather guilty about the whole affair. "I see. You must be from another world?"

  
"Glad to know you're always right, Alfred." Dick smiled kindly. 

  
"Of course," he smirked. "Come along gentlemen, I'm sure Master Timothy knows of you impending arrival?"

  
"Right again." Ric and Dick replied. Alfred hummed, there's hope yet.

  
The counterparts made it to the last step and walked onto the central platform, Dick nearly laughed about the giant penny and T-Rex statue this world's Batman still seemed to hold onto. Well, he guess Bruce still had his trophies but after that hellish earthquake it's best to say they still might be 'in storage.' The pair approached Tim, clacking away on the Batcomputer with ease. 

  
"Okay," the teen cleared his throat and turned around. "I made a list of those I could think of, then ruled out who would still talk to us, and it's kind of surprising how easy it is to find someone like John Constantine or Zantanna."  
"Where'd you find them?"

  
"In the Yellow Pages." Tim replied seriously. 

  
Dick paused, trying to stop the laughter from coming out of him. Tim stared on in full detective mode, lips pressed in line. Ric was left to wonder, and he wondered right to - Dick assumed - his old Robin costume. He looked puzzled, as if the memory is there but not as surface level as his other random ones had been. Dick stifled a laugh.

  
"You're serious?"

  
Tim nodded. "You're lucky Bruce is dealing with another one of his crisis' right now and Damian is... somewhere." The teen glanced at the computer once more. 

  
"Can't keep up with him either, huh?" Dick finally gave out a small laugh this time. "So why aren't you out and about, Tim?"

  
The teen shrugged. "Figured I can solve one more problem before I go off, you caught me before I left."

  
Dick hummed at that, surveying Tim's outfit. Leather jacket and a helmet nearby, the jacket looked like something Dick wore at that age. He passed it on to Jason, his world's Tim never really showed much interest, but Stephanie has yet to give it up (she claims she'll give it to Damian if he ever hit his growth spurt, she probably won't even after that). It was a Rite of Passage in the Robin lineage, even if Tim didn't care about it until Steph let him borrow it.

  
"Well, I hope it doesn't run out anytime soon." Dick sighed, taking a seat in the other chair. "How soon can they get here?"

  
Tim hesitated, mumbling something after a moment.

  
"What was that, Tim?"

  
"It's gonna take about a week." The boy admitted pitifully.

  
Dick's face went blank, he stared at his alternate universe little brother and slowly leaned forward from his laid back position. He glanced at the computer and to the teen. Computer. Teen. Computer... he rubbed his face before looking up at Tim. 

  
"Well, _fuck_."


	3. Avoid, if at all possible.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dick, trying to make connections to get back home and "sock Freeze in the face for the inconvenience": We're really in it now boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there was actually folks interested in this -- hello! I didn't forget this, college happened and life decided to throw everything at once at me.  
But hey at least I got this (and the beginning of chapter 4) written out. :p

A flash of grey, a touch of blue, and a smudge of yellow shone under what little light the moon offered. The moon was a little contrasted against the faint, distant lights in the city at a distance. The tap of boots paused on the rooftop, the figure looking over the changing heights of buildings. They map out the familiar path.

  
Batgirl walks to the other edge of the roof top, her eyes scanning the navy blue shade of night that only a city could offer. She sighs, eyeing this familiar track that would've made it back home here in Burnside. Something feels off about the night, she feels eyes on her but she's still not sure if its paranoia or something else. She hesitates - something's here, her scans are telling her so - before spinning the grapple gun in her hand. Batgirl is making a show of things, any trained eye could tell. Well, that's what Dick told her during down time on a stakeout when he was still Robin before life caught up to them and he... well it felt like a lifetime ago. She should stop worrying, she has some plans to help him but when all he does is whine and whine, with some more whining. Barbara, well, Batgirl has some more pressing matters at any given moment. Still, why would she abandoned a friend in need? He wouldn't do that, at least if he could help it.  
  
She doesn't hear the soft tap behind her.  
  
"Batgirl?"  
  
The voice calls out, it's nervous and she doesn't know what to make of it. It sounds like... him. Older, but still so similar. She turns, her cape flowing from the motion and to the wind.  
  
"Babs?"  
  
It's Nightwing. Or_ a Nightwing_. His face looks a little scared, maybe guilt, or is it sad? Along with sounding older, he looks tired. Like he's been through the ringer but still keeps going, though, Barbara Gordon is no fool. She's keeping her distance, grabbing the bat-a-rang from the back of her belt.  
  
This Nightwing hums nervously. "At least you're not yelling?" He hold his hands up in surrender, non-threatening. "I'm not Nightwing, _well I am_, but not your Nightwing. He's in Bludhaven, being a bas-"  
  
"What's your point?" The redhead gained her wits, voice bringing authority.  
  
"Right, the point is I need to get home. I need your skills." He finishes, acting like Barbara should know what the hell he's talking about.  
  
Oh, wait a minute.  
  
"You need someone with computer skills."  
  
"Perferably, maybe someone I can talk at too. If there's nothing else going on." He joked.  
  
Barbara paused. The look on her face somewhere between annoyed and wanting to laugh.  
  
"Shit no! That's not what I meant!" Nightwing flails. "I didn't want to bother you if I didn't have to."  
  
Barbara decides to laugh.  
  
"Almost saved it there." She glanced to the sky, its probably around 4 am, maybe 5. "Explain."  
Nightwing laughs, something about her always being the same. "Mr. Freeze, modified gun to teleport people to other planes - other universes - blah blah, I run into Ric and he abandoned me in the cave."  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I didn't say you could come with me." Ric said with finality.  
  
"Well, I can't just sit here for weeks watching paint dry! I'm sure Bludhaven could use the help, Nightwing." Dick mocked.  
  
Ric puffed his chest.  
  
"This is why I didn't stay here." The man spat, seemingly out of character.  
  
He marched up the stairs. Dick only assumed he left for his cycle and back to Bludhaven.  
  
"Could've used some help, Tim."  
  
"I don't talk to people I don't know." Tim eyed the steps, unsure.  
  
"You don't know me! _Not technically!_"  
  
"_Of course I do_." Tim said simply. "You're Dick Grayson, former Robin, and Nightwing. You'll figure something out."  
  
Dick stared at the computer for a

while. He'll figure something out, sure, but for once can't life just hand him something?! What could he even -- oh, Oracle.  
  
"Hey, Timmy. What's Barbara's address here?"  
  
"Do you know about Burnside?"  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
The pair had made their way to sit on the roof top's edge, a fair amount of space between them.  
  
"So, Robin gave you a way to track me." She regarded. "Had to be Tim."  
  
Dick only nodded, not wanting to dive into that can of worms as to why she has to state it was Tim. This world was starting to get too complicated, and this is coming from the man who's had to deal with Roy Harper and Oliver Queen being in the same room for longer than an hour.  
  
"Right... I promise I'm who I say I am. No tricks or gimmicks. Just a guy who wants to get back home and sock Freeze in the face for the inconvenience." Dick nodded to no one.  
  
"I'll believe you. For now. I'll see what I can do." She stood, getting her grapple hook out again, tossing him an ear piece while mid air. "I'll be in touch."  
  
"Wait! Where am I suppose to go?!" He yelled as she gracefully flipped in the air and landed on the other building.  
  
"Figure it out!" She sprinted and took another dive off the opposite side into the night.  
  
"I always do." He grumbled to himself, hopping down the alley and on the cycle Tim so honorably let him borrow.  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"So you just _don't_ care?"  
  
"Can't care about what you can't see missing." Tim turned his back. "Good luck, Nightwing."  
  
"You too, Tim. Wherever you're going."  
  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
He rode off to Bludhaven - leaving Burnside behind him for the time being - and making Gotham the last place he needs to be.  
  
Dick stashed the cycle in what he hoped was an abandoned factor house, he then continued in a trek through the night not really thinking about where he was going to rest. Even if he could last a day or three he was going to crash eventually, he just wasn't sure where. He really hopes these leads he's building comes in clutch, after all -- Ric has too many hang ups, what else is new in the Grayson lives. Barbara was just too uncomfortable, and the last thing he needs is to mess that connection up. He honestly doesn't know where the Titans would stand, and at this point he's too scared to ask. The manor was too risky, the idea of an alternate reality Bruce wanting to take control of it all really put him on edge. Plus the last thing he needed was Damian seeing him. He didn't want to break his heart pretending to know what this counterpart is going through.  
  
Yet, it seems fate had other ideas.  
  
"Explain yourself, imposter." Robin - Damian - had Dick's arms locked behind him, a batarang to his throat. God, he hoped it was a batarang. Maybe if Dick wasn't so busy thinking about actuallly contacting the Titans here (if there are any), Damian wouldn't have gotten the drop on him. "I'm waiting." Damian reminded harshly.  
  
"_Robin_," Dick demanded, donning the 'Batman' voice a little too easily. "Let me go."  
  
"I have seen the _other_ Nightwing's running around Bludhaven." He said as if it disgusted him. "You look nothing like them. You look more like him... explain." The teen pressed.  
  
"I'm from an alternative universe and I'm getting really tired of explain it." Dick nearly growled. "I might as well wear a pin that says 'I'm from another earth, don't ask me how!' to get my point across."  
  
Damian hummed. "It would seem you have some of the qualities of Nightwing. But tell me this, imposter." The boy leaned down to look Nightwing in the eye. "Tell me who you are?"  
  
"I... there's nothing I can sa-"  
  
Damian grumbled. Dick grumbled back.  
  
"Tell me. Now!" Damian sounded angry -- no. Hurt. "You look to much like him to not have connection. A relation! If you really are from this other universe, then who are you?!"  
  
Dick realized the boy had it figured out from the second he saw him, and yet he still wanted confirmation from Dick Grayson himself. He wanted Dick to say his own name as confirmation. Oh, how he wanted to go home and just sit in his apartment for about a month and watch his fish documentaries. Dick let his head fall down.  
  
"Yes, Damian." He admitted defeat. "It's me, Dick, but it's not me."  
  
"Richard?" Damian sounded small, he hasn't heard that tone since the night with the missing children they found when he was Batman for that quick second.  
  
"Yes, D it's me." The man sighed. "Can you let me-"  
  
He fell flat on his face.  
  
Damian was gone.  
  
That didn't bode well.  
  
Nightwing stood still for a moment. He felt some cool wind blowing, the night quiet and still. He could tell the morning was approaching soon. It's as if this universe is taunting him, telling him that while this is familiar he's not in balance. He can feel what he cannot feel. And boy, does it feel like hell. He has to put Damian at the back of his mind, that's not his little brother. Not his to console and talk down from his freak out at the moment. He needs to go home. God, he feels like a piece of-  
  
"Nightwing, report." A voice, deep and stern echoed through the ear piece Barbara gave him.  
  
Oh no.  
  
"Alternative Dimension Nightwing reporting in," he took a deep breath and released. "_Batman_."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bruce is going to.... cause problems and be a pain in the ass, whatelse is new. more next time on whatever the hell this is.  
for any folks curious tim is going out and young justice is going to start for him bc mom said it's my turn with the dc canon.
> 
> oh yeah, and as of posing (august 21st, 2020) dick is coming back next month (september)!!! (allegedly, i cannot trust dc.)

**Author's Note:**

> i hope you liked it! ♥  
and the idea that mr. freeze has a gun to send someone to another world/plane isn't pulled out of my ass, there was a web series (called gotham girls) that featured a gun made by freeze that sent all the men in the world to some other plane of existence (it makes sense in the shows context, trust me) i just tweaked it a little ;p plus it gave me a very poorly written reason as to why dick was sent to the rebirth universe.
> 
> side note, bc my head has Many Thoughts:  
the idea of making barbara disabled again while dick is still ric. i though on the idea and it feels like a really good story arc for the two and their relationship/interactions; however, dc doesn't have the guts so i'll make my own grave. rip me.
> 
> thinking about setting up a ko-fi... much to think about.


End file.
